July 30, 2002

5:48 AM

Dishonestyin defense of tax cuts. Paul Krugman sets the record straight with refreshing honesty. If only he were in charge of our country's economics... From the CEO White House to our Banana Republics to our largest corporations budgetary dishonesty abounds and we'll eventually have to pay the bill.
posted by nofundy (7 comments total)

impeachable offenses, anyone?
posted by VulcanMike at 6:34 AM on July 30, 2002

You mean, the government is worse than all of those evil, child-eating corporations when it comes to accounting practices? Say it ain't so!
posted by insomnyuk at 7:03 AM on July 30, 2002

Paul Krugman, who better to write about dishonesty than a man who, while on Enron's payroll, wrote gushing articles about Enron. (Disclosure, what's that?)
posted by Mick at 7:31 AM on July 30, 2002

Waitasec. Admittedly, you have government practicing schemes like get rich quick businessmen, but there are a few things left out:

1) The recession. Oh, yeah. Well, government shouldn't cut back just because there's no more money. And, of course, the *best* time to raise taxes is during a recession. The writer is wrong in believing that because "A" is wrong, "B" is automatically right. A new paradigm is in order.

2) As far as "cutting back" goes, I know that drill: cut the meat, leave the fat. If a city has to cut back $1, it's .50 cents from the police, so we'll have to close the police department; .50 cents from the fire department, so we'll have to close them too. Anything to get the public's goat.
But never, ever trim administrative staff or perks.

The bottom line is first of all, it doesn't matter *who* is in power, they *will* pull these hanky-pankys--they are irresistable. Second, there are bureaucratic paradoxes and inefficiencies that exist no matter who is officially in charge. Last but not least, the only thing worse in public office than a lawyer is an MBA.
posted by kablam at 7:41 AM on July 30, 2002

Paul Krugman, who better to write about dishonesty than a man who, while on Enron's payroll, wrote gushing articles about Enron. (Disclosure, what's that?)

Plain unvarnished lie.
posted by y2karl at 7:58 AM on July 30, 2002

Paul Krugman, who better to write about dishonesty than a man who, while on Enron's payroll, wrote gushing articles about Enron.

Care to confirm that slander about gushing articles?
posted by nofundy at 9:00 AM on July 30, 2002

Y2karl: 1
"bitter, drunk, pasty skinned, large headed, potato eating mick": 0
posted by websavvy at 9:08 AM on July 30, 2002